List of Famous people born on August 12nd

Sir Peter Leonard Knight, FRS is a British physicist, professor of quantum optics and senior research investigator at Imperial College London, and principal of the Kavli Royal Society International Centre. He is a leading academic in the field of quantum optics and is the recipient of several major awards including the Royal Medal from the Royal Society and the Thomas Young Medal and Prize from the Institute of Physics. He is a former president of the Institute of Physics and the Optical Society of America, the first non North American-based person to take the position.

Janet R. Maslin is an American journalist, best known as a film and literary critic for The New York Times. She served as a Times film critic from 1977 to 1999 and as a book critic from 2000 to 2015. In 2000 Maslin helped found the Jacob Burns Film Center in Pleasantville, New York. She is president of its board of directors.

Vadim Vladimirovich Potomsky, is a Turkmen-Russian statesman, politician, and economist who is currently the Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative in the Northwestern Federal District since 7 December 2018. He had also served as the Deputy Plenipotentiary Representative in the Central Federal District from October 2017 to December 2018.

Maria Elisabetta Casellati, née Alberti, is an Italian lawyer and politician serving as President of the Italian Senate since 2018. She is the first woman to have ever held this position. Casellati is a long-time member of the liberal-conservative party Forza Italia and served as Undersecretary of Health and Justice in previous governments.

John Colin Stillwell is an Australian mathematician on the faculties of the University of San Francisco and Monash University.

Sofya Andreyevna Arzhakovskaya is a Russian actress, ballet dancer and acting coach.

Yukina Kashiwa is a Japanese actress and former idol singer. She was in the girl groups Momoiro Clover Z and Nogizaka46.